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Learn Hardcore Czech: Pneumatika je špinavá. - The car tyre is dirty.

Hardcore Czech
/Inspecting a used car
/Pneumatika je špinavá.

Pneumatika je špinavá.

Pneumatika je špinavá.

The car tyre is dirty.

Breakdown of Pneumatika je špinavá.

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Questions & Answers about Pneumatika je špinavá.

Why does špinavá end in -á?

Because pneumatika is a feminine singular noun, and Czech adjectives must agree with the noun they describe.

pneumatika = feminine singular
so the adjective is špinavá = feminine singular

Compare:

špinavý = masculine
špinavá = feminine
špinavé = neuter

So Pneumatika je špinavá. is a normal example of adjective agreement.

What gender is pneumatika?

Pneumatika is feminine.

A useful clue is that many Czech nouns ending in -a are feminine, and pneumatika follows that pattern. That is why it takes the feminine adjective form špinavá.

Why is je used here?

Je means is. It is the 3rd person singular form of the verb být (to be).

So:

pneumatika = the tire
je = is
špinavá = dirty

Unlike in Russian, for example, Czech normally does use the present-tense form of to be in sentences like this.

Can you leave out je?

In normal standard Czech, no—you usually keep it.

So the natural sentence is:

Pneumatika je špinavá.

Leaving out je would sound incomplete or unnatural in standard speech, except in some special styles like headlines, notes, or very informal fragments.

Is the word order fixed?

Not completely. Czech word order is more flexible than English word order.

The neutral version is:

Pneumatika je špinavá.

But you may also hear:

Špinavá je pneumatika.
Špinavá pneumatika = a dirty tire

Changing the order often changes the focus or emphasis, not the basic meaning.

For a beginner, Pneumatika je špinavá. is the safest and most neutral order.

Are both pneumatika and špinavá in the nominative?

Yes.

In this sentence:

pneumatika is the subject, so it is in the nominative
špinavá is a predicate adjective after je, and it also appears in the nominative

So this is a straightforward nominative sentence: subject + být + adjective

How do you pronounce Pneumatika je špinavá?

A simple learner-friendly pronunciation guide is:

pneumatika ≈ pneh-oo-MAH-tee-kah
je ≈ yeh
špinavá ≈ shpih-nah-VAH

A few useful notes:

š sounds like sh in shoe
j sounds like English y in yes
á is a long vowel
Czech stress is usually on the first syllable of the word:
- PNEUmatika
- ŠPInavá

What does the accent mark in špinavá do?

The accent mark in á shows that the vowel is long.

So:

a = short
á = long

This length matters in Czech pronunciation, and sometimes it can help distinguish forms. In špinavá, the final -á is the normal feminine singular ending of the adjective.

Is pneumatika the normal everyday word for tire?

It is a correct word, but in everyday speech many Czechs often say guma or use other context-dependent words.

Still, pneumatika is a perfectly good standard word and is commonly understood. It can sound a bit more specific or technical than the most casual everyday word, depending on context.

So for learning grammar, Pneumatika je špinavá. is completely fine.

How would I make this sentence negative?

You add není (is not) instead of je:

Pneumatika není špinavá. = The tire is not dirty.

So:

je = is
není = is not

This is the normal way to negate the sentence.

How would I say The tires are dirty?

You need to make both the noun and the adjective plural, and also change the verb:

Pneumatiky jsou špinavé.

Breakdown:

pneumatika → pneumatiky = tires
je → jsou = are
špinavá → špinavé = dirty (plural here)

So Czech changes several words at once to match number.

Could I also say Ta pneumatika je špinavá?

Yes. That means That tire is dirty or The tire is dirty, depending on context.

ta = that / the-like demonstrative for feminine singular

So:

Pneumatika je špinavá. = The tire is dirty. / A tire is dirty.
Ta pneumatika je špinavá. = That tire is dirty.

Czech has no true articles like the and a, so words like ten / ta / to sometimes help make the noun more specific.

How would I ask a question with this sentence?

A very common way is just to use rising intonation in speech:

Pneumatika je špinavá? = Is the tire dirty?

You can also use a more explicit pattern such as:

Je pneumatika špinavá?

Both are understandable. The version with Je first is especially clear as a question for learners.

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